Fadwa Tuqan: A Poet of Palestine

Palestinian Heritage facebook page

Fadwa Tuqan (1917-2003) was one of the most important Palestinian poets of the 20th century. Born in Nablus to a prominent Palestinian family, she was known as the “Poet of Palestine” because her poetry provided a strong foundation for exploring women’s experiences of love, revolution, and protest against society.

Fadwa Tuqan received her education only up to the primary level, as her family considered women’s participation in public life unacceptable. She left school and continued her education independently. Later, she studied under her brother, the renowned Palestinian poet Ibrahim Tuqan, who nurtured her talents and guided her towards writing poetry.

He encouraged her to publish in numerous Arab newspapers and called her “Umm Tammam” (Mother of Tammam). Mahmoud Darwish later dubbed her “Umm al-Shi’r al-Filastini” (Mother of Palestinian Poetry).

Although she signed her early poems with the pen name “Dananeer,” a name derived from a slave girl’s name, her favorite pseudonym was “al-Mutawwaqa” (the Encircled One) because it contained a double entendre, a subtle and eloquent allusion to the poet’s specific circumstances. The word “Matawwaqa” means her affiliation with the well-known Touqan family, and at the same time symbolizes her circumstances in a traditional, unforgiving society.